Chapter Four

DC: I don't own Harry Potter

Tonks went back to sleep soon after. Remus watched her for a moment. He didn't want anything else to happen. But he was soon being led away by a Healer. His own injuries needed tended to. He remembered his leg wasn't feeling its best, nor his back.

So they gave him a bed in the same room. It made him feel a lot better being in the same room as his wife. At least if she were to have any problems in her sleep, he'd be just across the room.

But she wasn't having any sleeping problems, which was a good thing. Remus's leg and back were healing properly, and the Healer said he could go home by the end of the week. But Tonks had to stay. They really needed to check her out a little more. Remus had no objections to this. She could take all the time she needed to heal.

And on the bright side, their baby was doing well. She didn't seem to have anything wrong, other then the werewolf bit, and she was eating right. Remus took little visits with Tonks to go see her.

They still needed a name, but no good ones came to mind.

"How about Anna? I've always liked that name." Tonks said. It was almost time for Remus to leave, and he was packing up.

"Well…I've always thought that was an overused name." Remus said sadly. "What about Christine?"

Tonks thought for a moment. She shifted herself in her bed, and took a better look at Remus. "Hyphenated? What about we use the both of them?"

"Anna-Christine?" Remus recited to himself. "Anna-Christine…"

"Renee." Tonks said.

"Lupin." Remus finished. "Anna-Christine Renee Lupin. I like it."

"Is it too long?" Tonks asked.

"Not at all Nymphadora." Remus teased.

Tonks smiled and watched Remus pack away his stuff. She couldn't leave the hospital just yet. Healers still had to run tests on her just to be sure her body was okay. She didn't want to separate from Remus, but she guessed it was for the best.

"It's not like we'll be gone forever." Remus said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Tonks smiled. "Yeah I know. I just wish we could have gotten out together. They won't let you stay?"

Remus sadly shook his head. They were going to release him today, and keep her. They said it would be best to just go home and relax with their baby. So he took his things, and gave her one last kiss for the day. He promised to come later to check on her.

Along the way the Medi-witch handed him the little baby. "She's free to go too."

Remus let go of his things, and went back to Tonks. Tonks smiled and nodded. She would be okay one day from her mum. As long as Remus knew how to use a bottle. If he didn't then there was always Mrs. Weasley. She should know how to use one. He could always visit her.

"Bye you two! Have fun!"

Remus waved goodbye to Tonks, magically made his things float behind him, and went out to the Healers desk. They told him they'd make the birth certificate with Tonks, so he didn't have to worry, he would just have to sign it when he visited later that night. They gave him the go ahead and he tried to leave St. Mungo's.

But there were reporters waiting for him in the lobby. They were from The Daily Prophet, The Quibbler, Witches Weekly, and other organizations. Everyone wanted a picture, or an interview from Remus. This would give them something to write about since the War was over. No pregnant woman has ever been hit with the Cruciatus Curse, and if they had been, everyone doubted she would have lived.

Remus had no comment on anything, and pushed his way through the crowd of excited reporters. He finally made it out of St. Mungo's, and into the quiet deserted street in Muggle London. No one dared coming out here. There could have been some Muggles coming around.

Remus took his luggage, and got a taxi. He stuffed his things in the trunk, and told the driver where to go. He was happy to finally be going home after a month. Anna-Christine was silently looking around, as he held her in his lap.

But when he arrived at his house, there were people. He guessed if they couldn't get anything from the Hospital, they'd follow him home, and greet him there. This is why he couldn't stand reporters.

He had the driver drive up a little further so people couldn't see him. "I'm terribly sorry." He said, as he climbed out of the car.

"You must have done something incredible, if you have that many people on your lawn." The driver commented. Remus just agreed. Muggles didn't need to know all his business.

The taxi dropped him off, and Remus grabbed his things out of the trunk. He paid the driver, and looked around the corner to look at his house. Anna-Christine was starting to get a little fussy.

"It's a risk." Remus said to himself. He pulled out his wand. He could apparate to the Burrow, where he was sure that Mrs. Weasley would allow him to stay, but it was a risk. Anna-Christine was still a newborn. Would she get hurt when he apparated?

There really was no other way. This was a muggle neighborhood. He already looked suspicious with that many people hanging around on his lawn, and he couldn't get to a fireplace that tied with the floo network around here.

He hoped for the best, and concentrated on a spot. And with a little pop he disapperated.

--------

Remus landed in the front yard of the Burrow. Anna-Christine really didn't like the ride to here. She was crying really hard. Remus rocked her a little. After a few seconds she stopped. Now all she was doing was making those fussy noises again.

"You must be really tired." Remus said.

"Remus?"

He looked up to see Mrs. Weasley standing at the door with a spoon in her hand. He smiled, and walked up to the door. "Hello Mrs. Weasley."

"Is that…?" Mrs. Weasley let them inside, closing the door behind them. "Out of the hospital already?"

"Yes. Sadly they're keeping Tonks. But me and Christine were allowed to leave."

"Is that her name?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Oh well her full name is Anna-Christine, but I think it's too long to say every time you say it." Remus answered.

Remus passed her to Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley smiled. It has been a long time since she held a new born. Not that long, she guessed. Bill and Fleur had their son, Andrew, only a year ago, but it seemed like a long time.

"She's adorable. I can't believe she made it out though." Mrs. Weasley said.

Remus nodded. "She's a miracle."

Mrs. Weasley found some of her old bottles and washed them for Remus. He told her about their current situation at home, and she invited him to stay during the night. It wouldn't be a problem; she's had people stay over before.

Remus fed Anna-Christine, while Mrs. Weasley set up his room. At the moment Harry, and Hermione were staying at the Burrow. Hermione was with Ginny, which wasn't a problem. She just had to find room for Ron and Harry.

Mrs. Weasley decided she could move them to Percy's old room. That wouldn't harm anyone. Percy never did have anything exciting in his room.

This left Remus with Ron's room. He would just have to mind the Chuddley Cannon things. She found Ginny's old crib in the attic, and Remus helped set that up.

"I think it would be safe to floo to my home, wouldn't it?" Remus asked.

"I suppose so." Mrs. Weasley said. She was now cooking dinner. "By the time you come back, everyone should be here."

"Everyone?" Remus asked.

"Oh! Not every single person. Just everyone who is staying here." Mrs. Weasley said. "What do you need anyway?"

"I had gotten somethings for the baby before everything happened. I was just going to go grab it real quick." Remus answered, moving toward the living room.

He grabbed some floo powder and lit the fireplace. He threw it in, and climbed in after it. He said his house number clearly, and then disappeared with the green flames.

"Mum we're home!" Ron said opening the back door. "Oh…where did you get that baby?"

Ron and Harry came through the door. Ginny and Hermione were behind them. Ron was staring at little Anna-Christine, who was in a different little crib in the corner. "Unless…"

"Yes Ron, that is Remus's baby. Her name is Anna-Christine." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Can I hold her?" Ginny asked.

"I suppose you can, but be careful. If you all are going to look at her, take her in the living room. It's getting quite crowded in here already."

Ginny carefully picked Anna-Christine up. The four of them went to the living room, and sat on the couch and chair furthest from the fireplace.

No sooner had they sat down, the fireplace burst with green flames. They were used to the flames, because people floo'd in all the time, but they didn't expect what happened next.

It was as if the fireplace didn't like Remus. It spat him back out, making him fly across the room and flip over a chair. Ashes and dust filled the air.

Hermione quickly cleared away the ashes with her wand, although everyone still got dirty. Ron and Harry helped Remus climb out from behind the flipped chair. Remus wiped away a lot of the dust and ash from his face, before looking around. Hermione set the chair up again, and Remus took a seat.

Mrs. Weasley came from the kitchen with a confused expression on her face. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Remus choked out, he inhaled some of the dust. "I was trying to go home, but the fireplace spat me back out."

Remus cleared his lungs, and wiped at his eyes. "That could mean two things…"

"Either your house was unconnected from the floo network," Mrs. Weasley said. "Or your fireplace was blocked or destroyed."

"I know for a fact that I'm on the floo network." Remus said. "But my fireplace isn't blocked or destroyed."

Remus rubbed his back a little. Just when it stopped hurting he had to mess it up again. "I should go check it out."

"I think you should just relax, Remus." Mrs. Weasley said. "Harry, Ron, why don't you go check things out. Hermione could you help me with dinner? And Gin get Anna-Christine cleaned off. No use having a sick newborn."

Harry and Ron apparated away, and Hermione followed Mrs. Weasley to the kitchen. Remus sighed and sat back in his chair. Ginny left with the baby.

He wondered why the fireplace spat him back out. Unless he wasn't on the floo network. But that didn't make any sense. He had floo'd loads of times before this ever happened. He sighed, and tried to dust himself off. It was no use though. He would need a thorough bath.

Harry and Ron popped back into the living room a few minutes later. They looked confused. "Er…Lupin?"

Remus looked up to Harry and Ron. "There's a problem…"

"What?" Remus asked.

"Well we went to your house, but…there was no house." Ron said. Remus looked confused.

"What he means is, your house looked as though it was burned down."

Remus took a moment to let that go through him. He then felt like pulling his hair out, but instead just sat back into his chair again, muttering, "Great, just bloody brilliant."

--------

Megumi: Wow some Bad Beginnings.

I'm kinda stuck on chapter five. This is where Remus visits Tonks for the night... But I don't know wht he's going to say... I'll figure it out sooner or later though.

Well...Yep... I just realized the baby's name is close to,the reviewer,Christieanne-Anna's name. Wow! And everyone wanted to know what her name was! It's Anna-Christine! My sister Bob Bennit loves that name too.

Love to all, Good and Evil!

Megumi